Momement

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns a watch movement in which the oscillator escapement system is mounted on a separate assembly which is insertable into the watch movement which has reference and fixing means for said separate assembly. The separate oscillatorescapement assembly comprises a median frame, a lower bridge and an upper bridge serving as supports for the bearing of the escapement system and of the oscillator. Said median frame comprises a planar surface adapted to cooperate with said reference means of the movement.

United States Patent [191 Erard Apr. 9, 1974 [54] MOVEMENT [75] Inventor: Raoul Henri Erard, La Primary Examiner-George H. Miller, Jr.

Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Young & Thompson 5 7] ABSTRACT The invention concerns a watch movement in which the oscillator escapement system is mounted on a separate assembly which is insertable into the watch movement which has reference and fixing means for said separate assembly. The separate oscillatorescapement assembly comprises a median frame, a lower bridge and an upper bridge serving as supports for the bearing of the escapement system and of the oscillator. Said median frame comprises a planar surface adapted to cooperate with said reference means of the movement.

I 8 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures PAIENI APR 9:914 $802,183

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PATENTEDAFR 3:974 SLBGELIBS sum O'IUF 12 ATENTEDAP 9 m4 sum 09 0F 12 MOVEMENT The present invention has for its object the provision of a movement for a piece of horology comprising on the one hand a basic movement supporting the essential members for winding up and time setting and on the other hand a regulating member supporting the whole escapement system-oscillator member and designed to be assembled, controlled and regulated independently from the base movement in which it has to be integrated to complete the horology movement.

It is already known to provide a platform escapement intended to be incorporated in a base movement. However all the known realisations up to date enable only applications on the movements of great volume and the platform escapements are in fact only conventional devices, mounted on a portion of the bottom plates. There are therefore assembly problems, regulating problems and control problems identical to the ones encountered in the conventional horology movements, but the implantation volume necessitates a relatively greater space thus enabling its use only on medium size are large horology movements.

The aim of the present invention is to enable the realisation of a relatively small horology movement as this is necessary for wrist-watches and designed in such a way that the assembly operations of the different elements are simplified and rationalized, and this particularly for the regulating member.

To this end, the movement of a piece of horology characterized by the fact that it is constituted by two elements; on the one hand a base movement supporting the time setting and winding up members, as well as the members relating to the motor, and the transmission and comprising a housing intended to receive the regulating member and on the other hand the said regulating member oscillator system the linking of the two elements being done between the seeond wheel and the pinion of the escape wheel and also characterized by the fact that the regulating member comprises a median frame having at least one surface and reference means in order to fix it onto the base movement and supporting the upper bearings of the escapement system, the lower bearings of which are supported by a lower bridge assembled to the base of the frame and comprising also one of the bearings of the regulating member, whereas the other bearing of the said regulating member is carried by an upper opposed bridge mounted over the frame.

Two embodiments of a wrist-watch movement according to the invention are shown in the attached drawing.

H65. 1, 2 and 3 show in plan view and in crosssection the essential members of the first embodiment, while FIGS. 4, 5, 6 and 7 represent schematically and in cross-section and in different details the assembly.

FIGS. 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 show also in plan and in cross-section details of the second embodiment.

In FIG. 1, one sees the base movement 1 supporting the winding up mechanism 51 and the time setting mechanism 52 the barrel or motor 53, the going train or transmission, up to the central second wheel 3. On the other hand, the dial train, the day date mechanism and the automatic winding mechanism are not shown to simplify the comprehension of the drawing, but they are all supported also by the base movement.

The fundamental part of the base movement is the plate 2, in which an adequate entry 2A, is provided consitituting the base of a housing comprising on the other hand a reference surface perfectly plane, on which a guiding sleeve 28 is located as well as a tapped hole 2C, and intended to constitute, with the reference wall 2D, positioning means with respect to corresponding elements of the regulating member 4 intended to integrate the movement.

In FIGS. 2 and 3, one sees respectively in plan and cross-section the principal elements of the regulating member namely:

A median frame 5, comprising a guiding hole 58 and a conical fixing hole 5C and the lower surface of which consititutes on the one hand the reference base for the assembly of the regulating member on the base movement and on the other hand the reference base from the assembly of the element consitituting the assembly of the said member.

Three columns, 6A, 6B and 6C which are cylindrical, ascertain the guiding and the assembly of a lower bridge 6 to the base of the median frame.

. An escapement wheel 7 with its pinion 56 and pallets 8 is provided the upper bearings of which are in the median frame, whereas the lower bearings of which are in the lower bridge which comprises on the other hand the lower bearing of the balance 12 constitutingwith its spiral, the oscillator and the upper bearing of which is supported by an upper bridge 9 mounted on top of the median frame and supporting on the other hand the sliding stud 10 which supports itself the regulator assembly 11.

it is particularly interesting to see on FIGS. 2 and 3 that the fact of using the median frame as fundamental part enables respectively:

To control by its very simple mechanical means the location of all the members constituting the escapement.

To obtain a very reduced volume for this lower part of the median frame (intended to be located in the entry of the plate), which is an important point for a wrist-watch.

To enable a pre-assembly; a checking and an eventual treatment (lubrication) before the setting in place of the escapement and the oscillator by taking advantage of particularly favorable conditions for the acces and the visibility of the element.

in FIG. 4 one sees successively different assembly phases, namely beginning from the top:

the medain frame 5 is inverted and receives the three columns two of which 6A and 6B are shown. These columns are driven at a given height in order to enable thereafter (second cross-section) the setting in plane of pincers l3 and 14 used to maintain the frame, and which act as height gages and pre-guide the fixing in place afterwards of the lower bridge.

0n the other hand the fitting is designed in order to pre-position the escapement wheel and the pallets which are also already guided by the bearings located in the frame.

Then (third cross-section), the lower bridge 6 is freely set in place in front of the pivots of the escapement wheel and of the pallets which are then located in all their bearings and finally (fourth cross-section) the median frame 5 and the lower bridge 6 are maintained the one against the other by means of wedges fast with the pincers l3, and 14, while the columns 6A and 6B are driven in.

This manner of operation ensures a great security to the assembly and also a great precision.

Finally the fittings used may be removed also if it is necessary to dismount the escapement.

In FIG. 5, one sees a particular position during the setting in place of the regulating member 4 onto the base movement 1.

The regulating member is lowered in such a way that the guiding hole 5B is adjusted on the guiding tube 28, the conical hole for the fixing hole SC being spaced from the tapped hole 2C, by a given distance, in order that the escapement wheel passes freely outside of the zone of the central second wheel 3, the lower bridge and the escapement being than located within the entry of the plate 2.

In FIG. 6, one sees a second particular position when the regulating member 4 is pivoted around the axis 28 513 until the wall 2D rests against the column 6A, the tapped hole 2C being slidingly displaced with respect to the tightening hole 50.

-In FIGS. 7 and 8 one sees the essential element ensuring the linking andthe fixing of the regulating member 4 onto the plate 2 of the base movement.

The screw 16 applies through a conical shoulder the column 6A against the reference wall 2D as well as onto the surface of the plate, whereas the screw fixes the other part of the regulating member which becomes perfectly fast with the plate, the central second wheel 3 being then in mesh with the pinion of the escapement wheel.

The first embodiment can be varied without modifying its fundamental characteristics. One may in fact use other means to realize the upper and lower bridges as well as their assembly.

In an economical variant one may make at least one of the bridges and even in certain cases the median frame of plastic material, the reference means and the fixing means being then directly made out of'the same material as the one or the other of the bridges of the median frame. Also. one can use any desired fixing method as such gluing or soldering.

Finally it should be noted that it is possible to place either the regulating member or its assembly or fitting onto the base movement in such a manner as to create a shock absorbing device. To this end, it is possible to constitue the upper and lower bridges in such a way that they may undergo a limited resilient deformation in the zones of the bearings of the balance and on the other hand to ensure the linking median frame-plate by resilient means.

Therefore it is possible, to apply conventionaly shock absorbing devices or to use the characteristics of the invention in order to create an original system.

For example it is possible to provide for a resilient guiding between the resting wall of the plate and the regulating member, in order to ensure the linking between the central second gearing wheel and the escapement pinion, the whole assembly of the regulating member being then able to be supported by resilient means. Such a realisation has the advantage of proctecting the assembly of the oscillator and the escapement andthis under particularly efficientconditions as well as economical conditions.

The second embodiment of the invention differs from the first already described primarily by the location of the regulator assembly.

In FIGS. 9 and 10 one sees in plan and in crosssection a support for the sliding stud 10 resiliently adjusted on the inside wall of a groove provided in the median frame 5, concentrically with the balance and in the zone which is approximately covered by the balance. The sliding stud carries itself resiliently a regulator assembly 11 the friction between the sliding stud and the frame being higher than the friction between the regulator assembly and the pin, so as to enable a correction of the running without modifying the position of the pin.

This embodiment offers the advantage of a very shock resistant setting of the stuid carrier and of the regulator on the median frame, on the other hand the balance and the bridges carrying it are completely free, enabling a better use of them and this particularly if their shock absorbing system has to be integrated. Finally, to fix the oscillator and the escapement onto the median frame offers advantages for the adjusting and correcting the frequency both initially and finally.

In FIG. 11, one sees the base movement 1 fast with the regulating member 4 and particularly'the sliding stud l0 and the regulator assembly 11 projecting beyond the balance and accessible in an entry 2E pro- The two embodiments described show the particular advantages of the invention for a wrist watch, as well as for time pieces having particular problems relating to the space available or to shock resistance.

Finally is to be noted that the embodiments described with respect to a mechanical watch do not change if one considers an electrical watch having a balance transmitting the pulses by an escapement, as an electrical linking and complementary members would then complete the embodiment described.

Whatwe claim is:

1. A movement for a piece of horology, comprising two subassemblies, the first subassembly comprising a base movement supporting time-setting means, winding means, motor means, transmission means and a housing for regulating means, the second subassembly comprising said regulating means supporting escapementoscillator means, said piece of horology having a second wheel and an escapement wheel having a pinion, and means linking said two assemblies between said second wheel and said pinion, said regulating means comprising a median frame having reference means for securement to said first subassembly and supporting at least one bearing of said escapement wheel, a lower bridge carrying another bearing of said escapement wheel on a frame of said piece of horology and comprising also a bearing of said regulating means, another bearing of said regulating means being carried by an upper opposed bridge mounted over said frame.

2. A movement as claimed in claim 1, said reference means comprising a sleeve around which said regulating means is freely adjustable, said reference means also comprising at least one wall of said housing against which a portion of said regulating means comes to rest when secured to said movement.

3. A movement as claimed in claim 1, said regulating means being secured to the movement through resilient means permitting momentary displacement of said regulating means under shock while ensuring a continuous linking of said second wheel to said pinion.

4. A movement as claimed in claim 1, said median frame having a sliding stud-carrying member.

5. A movement as claimed in claim 1, in which said housing has a cut-out entry in which said lower bridge is housed with said escapement means, said housing regulating means contacts one of said columns.

. ENITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,802,183 Dated April 9, 1974 Raoul Henri Erard Inventor(s) It is Certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On the cover sheet [73] "Les Brevets" should read les Brenets Signed and sealed this 24th day of September 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON JR. C. MARSHALL DANN; Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM P0405) (0459) uscoMM-Dc 60376-P69 9 ".5. GOVERNMENY PRINTING OFFICEZ l9, 3"33,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 802 183 Dated April 9 1974 Raoul Henri Erard Inventor(s) It is certified that error appears lnthe' above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On the cover sheet [73] "Les Brevets" should read les Brenets Signed and sealed this 24th day of September 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON JR. C. MARSHALL DANN v.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer USCOMM-DC B0376-PU9 fl US. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE ISIS 0-366-S3l.

F ORM PO-1050 (10-69) 

1. A movement for a piece of horology, comprising two subassemblies, the first subassembly comprising a base movement supporting time-setting means, winding means, motor means, transmission means and a housing for regulating means, the second subassembly comprising said regulating means supporting escapement-oscillator means, said piece of horology having a second wheel and an escapement wheel having a pinion, and means linking said two assemblies between said second wheel and said pinion, said regulating means comprising a median frame having reference means for securement to said first subassembly and supporting at least one bearing of said escapement wheel, a lower bridge carrying another bearing of said escapement wheel on a frame of said piece of horology and comprising also a bearing of said regulating means, another bearing of said regulating means being carried by an upper opposed bridge mounted over said frame.
 2. A movement as claimed in claim 1, said reference means comprising a sleeve around which said regulating means is freely adjustable, said reference means also comprising at least one wall of said housing against which a portion of said regulating means comes to rest when secured to said movement.
 3. A movement as claimed in claim 1, said regulating means being secured to the movement through resilient means permitting momentary displacement of said regulating means under shock while ensuring a continuous linking of said second wheel to said pinion.
 4. A movement as claimed in claim 1, said median frame having a sliding stud-carrying member.
 5. A movement as claimed in claim 1, in which said housing has a cut-out entry in which said lower bridge is housed with said escapement means, said housing having a flat reference surface on which positioning means for said regulating means are disposed.
 6. A movement as claimed in claim 5, in which said entry and said surface are so disposed that said regulating means can be initially positioned and then slid on said surface to a final position for linking between said second wheel and said pinion.
 7. A movement as claimed in claim 1, in which said median frame guidedly carries said lower bridge by means of three columns.
 8. A movement as claimed in claim 7, in which said regulating means contacts one of said columns. 